This invention relates to a shroud liner and particularly to a shroud liner for use in a gas turbine.
In gas turbines it is desirable to have as small a gap as possible between the tips of the turbine blades and the surrounding casing in order to increase the efficiency of the turbine. This is achieved by surrounding the gas turbine with a ring of abradable material. As the turbine rotates the turbine blades cut a path through the abradable material, so ensuring that only very small gaps are left between the turbine blade tips and the surface of the abradable material. Unfortunately such abradable materials tend to erode slowly in the extreme environment found within a gas turbine. As a result components carrying the abradable material must be regularly replaced.
In order to make replacement of the abradable material simple is it supported by thin metal shroud liners which are in turn attached to the structural casing of the turbine, rather than being directly supported by the turbine structural casing. These shroud liners are held preferably in a fixed position relative to the turbine blade tips.
In the past attachment methods have been complex, making it time consuming and difficult to assemble and disassemble the turbine. The components have also tended to be costly and complex. This is undesirable in consumable components.
This invention was intended to overcome these drawbacks by employing the stator vanes to hold the shroud liners in position.